Dalv and the Dell of Gold
by Jet556
Summary: On Third Earth there is a place called the Dell of Gold. On the maps of many native races of Third Earth, they know where it is but seldom travel there. When the thought of captive friends being there for if gold is treasure as is friendship and knowledge then they must be there, comes to the minds of Dalv and his descendant Kernunnos they go there.
1. What is Gold?

**Welcome everyone. A new week, a new story and we return to Brigid and Henti's abduction. This time our lead is Dalv with Kernunnos as his aide. Enjoy and review. **

**What is Gold?**

Sitting in Wilusa, Dalv stared at a map. Sitting next to him was his kin Kernunnos, a boy and a man all at once. Intelligent and at the same time unintelligent! A brute and at the same time an intellectual with a great grasp of philosophy! Yes, that was how Dalv regarded Kernunnos. Although Dalv wore a mask of cynicism and melancholy he was nothing of the sort. No, no. He enjoyed playing the part of the buffoon for the wise man was the buffoon when in fact the buffoon was the wise man.

The words on the map, as written in perfect Evabonese and thus something that Kernunnos could read, said "The Dell of Gold."

"Gold?" asked Kernunnos. "Who Gold?"

"The correct question, Kernunnos, would be 'What is gold?'" replied Dalv.

"What is gold?" asked Kernunnos.

"Gold, Kernunnos, is what many a weak person spends their entire life seeking. Cold, metal rocks that are a special kind of yellow."

"Why weak persons seek gold?" asked Dalv. Slowly, his grammar was improving. There were still some things that needed improvement though.

"To make themselves rich."

"What 'rich?'" asked Kernunnos.

Dalv was at a lost for words. The concept of currency was a mystery for those who used the barter system. The Albalongans used currency as did many an Evabon that the Thunderans had "civilized to an extent" used currency but to Dalv who came and went as he wished he had not an answer. The concept of rich and poor was something that Dalv did not understand and did not seek to understand. Thus Dalv gave the only answer he knew.

"It is nonsense. The Wilys have often spoken of a city of treasure that may or may not exist. They believe that finding that will make them rich."

"So knowledge makes one rich?" asked Kernunnos. In Wilusan culture, knowledge was treasure. So it was that to Kernunnos knowledge was treasure. "Why do rich people think gold will bring them knowledge and thus make them rich… Dalv, could the treasure that is not knowledge but friends be there in the dell?"

Dalv's eyes widened. That question. What if Brigid and Henti both were there?


	2. Onward

**Welcome back everyone. After some three weeks, I finally return. Enjoy and review.**

**Onward**

Travelling to the Dell of Gold, Dalv and Kernunnos both looked up at the sky. The thought of whether or not Brigid and Henti were in the dell was something that was one Kernunnos' mind while something else was on Dalv's mind.

"In my youth, all were equal!" said Dalv.

"How?" asked Kernunnos.

"The Chieftain and his council would sit in a round hall and all would have their place." Dalv tapped his chin with a finger. "The more I think of Lion-O's idea to make Balor the Chieftain of Evabon the better it sounds. He is too young and would require a… A regency council is what the Thunderans would call it, for until Balor came of age. That way those who remember the old ways, the good ways, the proper ways, can influence him."

"Balor be puppet?" asked Kernunnos.

That question caused Dalv to freeze. For one who was less intelligent that Zuvowang Kernunnos could really make a comment that hit the nail on the head.

"Yes, I suppose he would be… And then the concept of a regency council isn't exactly something that belongs to our culture." Dalv kept continuing on, Kernunnos following him. "Kernunnos, what is moral and what is not moral?"

"What one believes is and is not?"

"That is as good an answer as I could ever give." Dalv scratched his left shoulder, looking at the dirt of the path he was on. To want some of the old ways brought back was certainly not an evil thing but some of the methods that were thought of was as horrible as horrible could be. To make a child a puppet was simply not right. "Would you like to be Chieftain of Evabon, Kernunnos?"

"Kernunnos not think so."

"I would have tried to become Chieftain when I was young but I have too much of a tendency to lose myself in philosophy. I've worked hard at stopping that… A bit too much of a failure." This was something that Kernunnos had inherited from Dalv, the philosophical bit being something more apparent with Kernunnos than Dalv.

They were quite the pair. Both better than the other both worse than the other.


	3. Gold for Fools

**Welcome back everyone. Here is the conclusion to this story but not to the story arc of Brigid and Henti's abduction. Enjoy and review.**

**Gold for Fools**

Upon reaching the Dell, Dalv and Kernunnos discovered that the Dell got its name from every rocky piece of terrain being golden. It was only for Dalv to realize this was not true gold but pyrite, fool's gold.

"There no fortress here." Said Kernunnos.

"No, no there is not." Dalv looked at the large amounts of pyrite around them. "We were certainly fools to come here. This place is fit for no one but fools and we have joined the thousands."

"We dead?" asked Kernunnos.

"Not what I meant, Kernunnos." Replied Dalv, tugging on his right ear. This couldn't have been everything. But wait! This wasn't everything! The land was beautiful and bountiful! There must have been a bourn somewhere!

"Why Balor and Brigid arranged to be married?" asked Kernunnos.

"I don't know." Dalv started to walk across the grassy terrain and away from the rocky terrain. There must have been a bourn close by.

"Would KatWily and KitWily like this place?" asked Kernunnos. He did of course mean WilyKat and WilyKit but it was a constant mistake he made.

"I suppose so." The sound of running water started to come to Dalv's ears. "Come, Kernunnos! Don't stand there!"

Kernunnos followed as Dalv called for him. They did indeed find a bourn and it was an ample one! It had to go somewhere for they could easily find a lake in the dell and yet the bourn seemed to right out of the dell.

Dalv pointed in the direction the river ran. It was in that direction that he and Kernunnos walked.

As they walked they heard laughing. It was the laughter of an old woman. No. This was no laugh. It was a cackle!

"Old woman laugh…" said Kernunnos.

"Aye, she does." Dalv stopped walking and looked around. There was no sign anywhere of an old woman. "Salutations! If you are hiding then come forth! You have nothing to fear!" The cackling only continued. And then the childish singing came.

"La, la, la, la!"

Dalv shook his head. "Come, Kernunnos! This old woman has an air of evil about her laugh and singing voice!"

**THE END**


End file.
